


it's time to leave me

by lilabut



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Drabble, F/M, Gunshot Wounds, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 14:39:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 287
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5931997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilabut/pseuds/lilabut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl has been severely injured, and Carol begins to lose hope.</p>
            </blockquote>





	it's time to leave me

Daryl's skin is cool to the touch, damp and drained of blood. Like a feather, Carol ghosts her fingers across his cheeks, down his throat, along his arms until she finally reaches his calloused hands. She wraps her own around them, slips her fingers in between his until they lock tightly but without response.

 

 _You can stop now_ , she whispers, presses her lips against his temple. _I'll be fine. We'll all be fine. Judith and Carl, we'll look after them._ The tears that dwell in her eyes betray her words, but she needs him to know this, that he must not hold on and suffer because of them. Because of her. He has done enough for them, and so much more.

 

He has not opened his eyes in days, the gaping bullet wound in his stomach refusing to heal, his torn flesh raw, his breathing labored. Still, he holds on, stubbornly refuses to let go.

 

 _Stop fighting_ , Carol breathes against his skin, lips moving against the stubble on his cheeks. She wants to kiss his lips, finally, if only once. But it would not be real, not what she really wants, and so far from what he deserves. Instead, she retreats, sinks back down on the chair by his bed, her hands never leaving his.

 

 _Open your eyes_ , she mutters, feeling consumed by selfishness, speaking so quietly that she is sure he can not hear her, wherever he is.

 

 

The next morning, she is pulled from her restless sleep by a shy hand brushing over her tear-streaked cheek. This time, she does kiss his lips, relishes in his surprised gasp and wonders if perhaps he did hear the very words that were not intended for his ears.

**Author's Note:**

> I felt uninspired, so I put Spotify on shuffle and decided to write (kind of) a drabble inspired by the first song that came up. The song was _Open Your Eyes_ by Andrew Belle. The title is taken from the lyrics.


End file.
